NORRISTOWN — The mother of an alleged Pottstown killer has joined her son behind bars, accused of trying to assist him in destroying or hiding the gun he allegedly used in a March slaying.

Julia Lillian White, 39, the mother of 19-year-old accused killer Maurice Laverne “Reese” Andrews Jr., faces charges of attempting to hinder apprehension for prosecution, attempting to obstruct administration of law and attempting to tamper with or fabricate physical evidence after detectives secretly recorded alleged incriminating conversations White had with her son, on jailhouse phones and inside a district court holding cell, about the missing gun.

White’s bail is set at $250,000 cash and she remains in the county jail while awaiting her June 3 preliminary hearing before District Court Judge Scott Palladino.

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A mother’s love for her son is not an excuse to hinder an investigation, prosecutors said.

“There is nothing wrong with being someone’s mother. There’s something wrong with being someone’s accomplice. This is a serious crime. You can’t give people free passes to interfere in investigations based on their relationship,” said Assistant District Attorney Nathan Schadler.

“The underlying issue in this is a homicide case. An individual was brutally murdered on the streets of Pottstown,” added Schadler. “We, as citizens, have an obligation to make sure that we aren’t thwarting and aren’t trying to get in the way of investigations by actively destroying, moving or attempting to discard evidence.”

Andrews, whose last-known address was in the first block of North Charlotte Street, is charged in connection with the 2:17 a.m. March 22 gunshot slaying of Victor Enrique Bonilla Baez outside Brian’s Café in the 300 block of Jefferson Avenue.

A Glock model 9 mm semiautomatic handgun Andrews allegedly used in the slaying has not been recovered, court papers indicate. The discovery of the gun potentially could provide authorities with valuable forensic or ballistic evidence.

Court papers reveal how detectives obtained White’s alleged incriminating conversations with Andrews after his arrest on April 18.

Between April 20 and 24, detectives monitored several conversations Andrews allegedly had with his mother while using jailhouse phones. Despite warnings that jail calls are recorded, the pair apparently risked talking about the murder investigation and the whereabouts of a missing item that might be in the possession of a friend or relative, according to court papers.

“Based upon the context of the conversations, especially the veiled language used, the reminder warnings made to one another that law enforcement is listening and the manner in which their obscure messages are delivered, detectives believe that they are referring to the handgun used in this murder,” county Detective Todd Richard and Pottstown Detective Heather Long alleged.

On May 8, District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman obtained state Superior Court approval authorizing the interception of communications between Andrews and his mother at Judge Scott Palladino’s district court.

On May 10, Andrews, already in custody for the alleged murder, was taken to Palladino’s court for a preliminary hearing on previous, unrelated drug charges and he was placed in a holding cell, “which had been equipped with audio and video surveillance monitoring equipment,” according to court documents. White was permitted to visit with Andrews alone.

During the conversation, Andrews asked his mother, “Did they get rid of the gun?” to which White replied, “I don’t know. I couldn’t find it.”

The conversation continues with Andrews speculating that a relative or friend of the family had the gun.

“Tell me where so I can go get rid of it,” White allegedly responded, according to the arrest affidavit.

Andrews allegedly implied to his mother that the gun was hidden in an air conditioner in the room of the relative or friend.

“OK. That’s enough. Don’t need to say no more, I’ll do that,” White allegedly said to her son.

“Based on the recorded prison phone calls and the intercepted conversation, it is apparent that Julia White is attempting to assist Maurice Andrews Jr. with destroying evidence related to the murder of Victor Baez,” Richard and Long alleged in the criminal complaint.

Schadler and co-prosecutor Lindsay O’Brien characterized the intercepted conversations as a “fine example of police work.”

“We have some extremely dedicated and determined detectives on this case who are doing everything that they can to make sure that anybody that’s responsible with regard to any evidence being destroyed or hidden is held responsible for that,” O’Brien said. Andrews was the subject of a manhunt until he was apprehended April 18 and charged with Baez’s slaying. In court papers, detectives alleged family members of Andrews “openly told police that they will assist Andrews in avoiding apprehension by the police in any way that they can.”

“Specifically, Julia White told (authorities) if she knew where her son was she, ‘wouldn’t tell’ the police,” Richard and Long alleged in the arrest affidavit.

Andrews’ preliminary hearing on murder charges is tentatively scheduled for May 31.

His alleged co-defendant and cousin, Michael Romain Hinton, 26, of the 900 block of North Stainbridge Street, Norristown, is awaiting trial on murder-related charges for his role in the killing.

Baez, who also was known as Vincent Taylor, was found lying in the street adjacent to the sidewalk at Brian’s Café, suffering from gunshot wounds to his torso, according to detectives. An autopsy determined Baez, 27, died from multiple gunshot wounds during the altercation with Andrews and Hinton.

Witnesses questioned during the investigation told detectives that Baez and Andrews had been feuding for several months and that Andrews and “his associates” had robbed Baez at gunpoint on several occasions in the past, according to arrest documents.